MEMPHIS, Tenn.– The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is investigating an alleged attack on the TNReady standardized testing system.
The State Department of Education said the company behind the testing, Questar, was forced to shut down its online testing portal after a possible attack on its data system.
“You should be outraged. There should be some accountability when it comes to your hard earned tax dollars that you contribute to the state of Tennessee,” said State Representative Antonio Parkinson.
Parkinson has been critical of the test, given the problems in the past.
After this week’s problems, Tennessee lawmakers decided TNReady test results will not be held against students, teachers and schools.
“If you do well on the test than you can use a certain percentage of that test to help boost your evaluation or your scores as a student and for teachers your evaluations as a teacher but if for some reason the returns are negative you don’t have to use those scores,” explained Parkinson.
Keith Williams, Executive Director of the Memphis-Shelby County Education Association isn’t on board…he said the tests will still have to be graded and doesn’t think they should count at all.
“I think all of this makeup and all of this money that is being wasted on testing our goal should be more teaching and less testing,” explained Williams.
So where do we go from here?
As far as Questar goes Parkinson says there should be conversations about if whether not their contract with the state continues.
Williams says why not look closer to home.
“I think if you’re going to devise something why not use the people that are in place devising the curriculum? The teachers. Teachers can devise a test. The University of Tennessee can devise a test. Why are we paying millions of dollars for Questar in Minnesota to give us a test that does not work? ”
Jennifer Donnals, Press Secretary for Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam’s office issued this statement in regards to the TNReady test scores, “It was clear many members of the General Assembly wanted to address concerns related to the recent administration of state assessments. The governor and Commissioner McQueen understands these concerns and did not oppose the legislation.”